Terminal connection for electric lamps.



- No. 662,369. Patented Nov. 20, I900.

' A. J. WURTS.

TERMINAL CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

(Application filed Jan. 27, 1900.) (N 0 M 0 d a izzym WITNESSES WW BY wA TTOHNE).

m5 NORRIS PETERS 0o, PRoTo-uwn; WASHINGTON, o. c.

lhvirnn TATES ATENT Prion.

ALEXANDER JAY WURTS, OF PITTSBURG, *PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGEWESTINGHOUSE, OF SAME PLACE.

TERMINAL CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 662,369, datedNovember 20, 1900.

Application filed January 2'7, 1900. Serial No. 3,050. kllo model.)

To ctZZ whom it incl/y concern.-

Be it knownthat I, ALEXANDER J AY IVURTS, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in TerminalConnections for Electric Lamps, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to electric lamps of the class in which thelight-emitting bodies are conductive only when brought to a comparatively high temperature by means of heat applied from an externalsource.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a lamp of thecharacterindicated, in which the glowers and heaters and their immediatesupporting means may be readily detached from the stationary portion ofthe lamp. 7

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficientmeans for attaching terminal wires to suitable binding-posts, rods, orblocks.

With these ends in view I have devised the means shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of themain Working parts of a lamp,and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the removableportion of the lamp. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the removable portionof the lamp, parts of the terminal rods being broken away. Fig. 4 is anend elevation corresponding to Fig. 3, but showing the opposite end.Figs. 5, 6, '7, and 8 are detail views of different forms of plugs forattach ing terminal wires to terminal rods, posts, or blocks. Fig. 9 isa detail view of four portions of a terminal block, showing fourdifferent arrangements of means for attaching terminal wires thereto,parts being shown in section. Fig. 10 is a sectional detaihview of aplug, showing a modified form of connection between the same and aterminal wire.

In order that the heaters and glowers of lanips of the class aboveindicated maybe readily inserted in position, removed for inspection andrepairs, or transferred from one lamp structure to another, it isdesirable that some means he provided for easily and quickly attachingsuch parts to and detaching them from the supporting-body of the lampstructure. In order to meet these requirements, I have devised the meansshown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings, in which thestationary portion of the lamp is represented by a plate 1, ofnon-conducting material, having the necessary number of terminal rods 2projecting through and below the same and provided above withbinding-nuts 3. Other auxiliary devices pertaining to the fixed ornonremovahle portion of the lamp are not shown, since they are notdirectly involved in my present invention.

The direct supporting means for the glow ers 4 and tubular heaters 5consists of a plate 6, of non-conducting material, having lugs 7 on itslower side for supporting the heatertnbes and for partially supportingthe terminal wires 42 of the glowers. The plate 6 is provided withsuitable apertures, as indicated, for the passage therethrough of theglower and heater terminal wires and is supported by two rods or bars 8,which are provided with apertures and binding-plugs 8 for attachment ofthe heater terminal wires 5 thereto. Mounted upon the bars 8 andsuitably spaced apart are two plates 9 and 9, which may be formed ofpressed asbestos or other suitable non-conducting and heat-resistingmaterial. Mounted in these plates 9 and 9 and extending above the upperplate 9 and below the lower plate 9 are glower terminal bars or rods 10,which are provided at their lower ends with suitable sockets andbinding-plugs 11 for attaching the ends of the glower terminal wires 4thereto. Each of the upper ends of these rods or bars is also providedwith a suitable socket, into which projects a corresponding rod 2,binding-screws 12 being provided for fastening the rods 2 in theirsockets in the ends of the bars 10. It willbe observed that the bars 10are of different lengths, so that they project difierent distances abovethe plate 9, and thus permit of ready access to the binding-screws 12when it is desired to manipulate them for the purpose of attaching theremovable part or to detach the same therefrom.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the glower andheater structure may be readily detached from the stationary portion ofthe lamp by merely loosenminal rods or bars.

i does not oxidize objectionably, and may have any one of a considerablevariety of forms, and various forms of connection between the plugs,their sockets, and the terminal wire s may be adopted within the scopeof my invention.

Prior to my invention considerable trouble was experienced in connectionwith the hinding-screws employed in connection with the glower andheater terminal wires of Nernst lamps both by reason of the small sizeand the structure of such devices and the high temperatures in whichthey were used. By employing contact plugs of aluminium or other softmetal that is substantially non-oxi dizable at the high temperature thatobtains in the vicinity of the heaters and glowers of the Nernst lampthe difficulties heretofore experienced are avoided.

In Fig. 5. I have shown a split plug 11*, around one end of which theterminal wire 13 is wound., The wire is also passed one or more timesthrough the slit in the plug, so that when the plug is pressed into itssocket the wire will be pinched between the adjacent sides of the slit,thus insuring a good electrical contact as well as a firm mechanicalsupport.

In Fig. 6 the plug 11 is in the form of a tube having a longitudinalslit from end to end. In this form the terminal wire is threaded throughthe tube and formed into aloop. The plug is resilient and of such sizethat when inserted into its socket the portion of the wire constitutingthe outer side of the loop will be pinched between the outer side of theplug and the adjacent wall of the socket.

In the form of device shown in Fig. 7 the plug 11 is split or bifurcatedand the terminal wire 13 is twisted around one arm or fork, so as to beclamped between the other arm or fork and the side of the socket whenthe plug is inserted in such socket.

In Fig. 8 the plug 11 is in the form of a tube, in one end of which theend of the terminal wire 13 is inserted. The desired electrical jointbetween the plug and the wire may be secured by pinching the end of thetube only, or the two may be fused together. It will be understood thata terminal wire and a plug of any other suitable form may be squeezed orfused, or both squeezed and fused together, so as to provide a goodelectrical joint.

In three of the modifications shown in Fig. 9 the terminal wire is shownas extending into v the plug-socket through an aperture at right anglesto the socket. The aperture for wire 13 extends .into and beyond theplug-socket at one side and the wire is wedged in position by a taperedplug 11. through its aperture into a hole in the plug 1 l in alinementtherewith. The plug is then either turned on its axisor movedlongitudinally to pinch the wire. The wire 13 is inserted, so that itprojects more or less into the plug-socket, and then the insertion ofthe plug will bend the end of the Wire and pinch it between the plug andthe wall of the socket. The Wire 4* is inserted with and alongside ofthe tapered plug 11 and is thus clamped securely in place.

In Fig. 10 the tapered plug 11 is provided with a hole extending inwardlongitudinally from its large end. A head 13 is formed on the end ofterminal wire 13 and after the beaded end is inserted the end of theplug is squeezed closely around the wire,as indicated,

Other forms of plugs and sockets might be employed if desired, whichwould fall within the scope of my invention, and I therefore desire itto be understood that my invention is not limited either to specificforms and arran gements or to the use of my invention with any specificterminal wires or leads.

I claim as my invention 1. 'In an electric-lamp of the type described,the combination with glowers and heaters and a supporting structuretherefor having terminal rods or bars that project above said structureto different heights and are provided with sockets and set-screws intheir upper ends, and with laterallydisposed sockets in their lowerends, of a main support provided with depending rods' the lower ends ofwhich are seated in the corresponding sockets in the upper ends of theterminal bars or rods, and aluminium plugs removably seated in the lowersockets and having the heater and glower terminal wires fastenedthereto. w

2. In an electric lamp of the type described, the combination with oneor more glowers and one or more heaters and a supporting structurehaving terminal rods or bars that project above said structure todifferent heights and also below said structure and are provided withsockets and fastening means in their upper ends and with sockets intheir lower ends, of a main support provided with depending rods thelower ends of which are seated in the corresponding sockets in the upperends of the terminal bars or rods, and aluminium plugs for removablyfastening the glower and heater terminal wires to the lower ends of therods. v

3. In an electric lamp of the type described, the combination with oneor more glovfers and one or more heaters and a supporting structuretherefor having terminal rods or bars that project above said structureand are provided with sockets and set-screws in their upper ends andwith sockets and soft metal plugs in their lower ends, of a main Thewire 13 projects support provided with depending rods the lower ends ofwhich are seated in the corresponding sockets in the upper ends of theterminal bars or rods, the glower and heater terminal Wiresbeingfastened to the lower ends of said bars or rods by means of thesaid sockets and plugs.

4. In an electric lamp of the type described, a removable terminalWire-binding device comprising a soft-metal plug to which theterminal'wire is connected and a terminal piece havinga socket withwhich the plug makes a sliding, frictional engagement.

5. Aseparahle terminal Wire-binding device comprising a rod or posthaving a hole or socket and an aluminium plug having the terminal Wirefastened thereto and removably fitting into said hole or socket.

6. In an electric lamp of the type described, the combination with oneor more glowers and one or more heaters, of terminal blocks or rodshaving sockets that are subjected to high temperatures and substantiallynonoxidizable, soft-metal terminal plugs removably seated in saidsockets, said plugs having sockets or recesses in which the ends of theterminal Wires are rigidly seated.

7. In an electric lamp of the type described,

the combination with one or more glowers and one or more heaters, ofterminal blocks or rods having sockets that are subjected to hightemperatures and tapered aluminium terminal plugs removably seated insaid sockets.

8. A terminal device comprising a terminal wire and a plug composed ofsoft, substantially non oxidizable metal and having a socketin which theend of said wire is clamped by compression so as to provide an enlargedextension of said wire adapted for making detachable circuit connectionwith a perforated terminal piece.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day ofJanuary, A. D. 1900.

ALEXANDER JAY WURTS.

WVitnesses:

HENRY NOEL POTTER, HUGH ANDREW CROOKS.

